Welcome to DBSTalk

Welcome to DBSTalk. Our community covers all aspects of video delivery solutions including: Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), Cable Television, and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). We also have forums to discuss popular television programs, home theater equipment, and internet streaming service providers. Members of our community include experts who can help you solve technical problems, industry professionals, company representatives, and novices who are here to learn.

Like most online communities you must register to view or post in our community. Sign-up is a free and simple process that requires minimal information. Be a part of our community by signing in or creating an account. The Digital Bit Stream starts here!

If it s a recent problem... has there been any severe weather (particularly with wind) that could have moved the dish out of alignment? You can expect some signal issues when the dark clouds are overhead, but if you are having issues on a clear day, you may not be properly peaked.

Yeah... the next place to think would be the LNB or perhaps a leaky connector that allowed rain to get in and corrode. You could try looking at any/all outdoor coax connectors to see if any of them look rusty or otherwise funky.

The next step would be trying a new LNB if you have one... which could be tricky if you don't have equipment to swap out to match what you have (or a spare wing dish to try for 129).

Depending on where you are, sometimes having 129 on its own dish is an improvement. When I was on western arc for a while I had my 129 on its own dish and I almost never had any issues except for during the severe black-cloud weather.

I would try flexing the dish up and down and then left and right without loosening any bolts while listening to the tone generated while in the menu at the point dish screen and 129 selected. Just tune to a station on 129 which is having the problem as an easy way to get that transponder on the point dish screen.

If you can't set up a test near where you can hear the change in tone, then get someone to listen for you, perhaps on a cell phone.

It could be just a simple tweak to improve reception on 129.

Brian...reporting from the left coast 2 Hoppers,1 Joey, 1 VIP211K active receivers
I still believe in magic !

I've had very good techs sent out but also guys who were basically mechanics following mechanical procedures. It's a lot like calling CSRs. Sometimes you get a good one and sometimes you get a loser. Call tech service and tell them about your experience. They should be able to get someone better qualified out there. Or if you know the company they came from, call and talk to the manager.

The only way I can imagine they wouldn't have tried a different LNB is that they didn't have one on the truck. It happens a lot here. I've had more than one scheduled appointment delayed because the repair crew had to go back to the shop for parts on the previous stop. It would have been the easiest thing to try and would have settled the issue immediately. They seem to have jumped to the most difficult solution awfully quickly.

I will say there are situations where a tree can suddenly become a problem though. Years ago I had a ground level dish that had worked for a couple years. Then the neighbor's ash tree got a growth spurt one spring. When it fully leafed out I had no signal at all. Literally happened within 9 days while I was on a trip. Had TV when I left. Had nothing when I got home. Relocated the dish and everything was fine.

Yeah, the tree thing can seemingly happen "overnight" when you consider that the tree does still experience growth without leaves... so if you had a tree about to be in your way last season, it continues to grow over the fall and winter and early spring and then when those last new leaves come in, suddenly you have a blockage that wasn't there a year ago but it kind of happened within the last week.

That may or may not be your actual problem here... but it isn't outside the realm of possibility if everything else checks out ok.